Petunia plant named ‘Whip Briink’

ABSTRACT

A new  petunia  plant particularly distinguished by bright pink flowers, compact plant habit with vigorous growth, and an initially spreading, upright plant habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Petunia hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Whip Briink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of petunia,botanically known as a Petunia hybrida,and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Whip Briink’. The new cultivar originated from ahybridization made in August 2002 in Gilroy, Calif. The female parentwas ‘1092-1’, a pink-flowered proprietary petunia plant (unpatented),while the male parent was ‘Conbloss’, a white-flowered petunia plant(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,556). The seeds produced by the hybridizationwere sown in February 2003. A single plant selection was chosen forfurther evaluation and for asexual propagation in April 2003.

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Gilroy, Calif. and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands over a three and ahalf year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif.,Hillscheid, Germany and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present inventionhas been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughsuccessive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights were applied for in Europe in November 2006.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Gilroy, Calif. and Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Bright pink flowers;    -   2. Compact plant habit;    -   3. Vigorous growth; and    -   4. An initially spreading plant habit;

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new petunia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliageof the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtainedby conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of a20-week old plant grown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany duringthe summer months.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliageof the plant

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of flowers of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Whip Briink’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inGilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on 12-to-15-week-old plantswhich were planted as rooted cuttings in 4-inch pots in the early springin a greenhouse trial setting. The plants had one plant growth regulatortreatment and one terminal pinch after cuttings were transplanted. Colorreadings were taken under natural light in the greenhouse in March.Color references are primarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001). Texture descriptiondata was viewed with a dissecting microscope.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanical.—Petunia hybrida.        -   Common name.—Petunia.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘1092-1’, a proprietary pink-flowered petunia            plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘Conbloss’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,556), a            white-flowered petunia plant.-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Herbaceous annual.        -   Habit.—Spreading initially and relatively upright plant            habit; decumbent trailing plant habit later; pinching            enhances branching; vigorously growing and well branched.        -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—12.0 cm to 15.0            cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—30.0 cm to 34.0 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—Approximately 8            to 11 weeks for a 4-to-6 inch pot in the spring.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in hanging baskets, mixed            containers, and patio containers.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—18 to 25 days.        -   Root description.—White, fibrous.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—15.0 cm to 18.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.4 cm to 0.5 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm to 2.0 cm.        -   Stem color.—A little darker than RHS 144A.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Glandular hairs of various sizes.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; upper leaves subalternate.        -   Size.—Length: 4.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Width: 1.8 cm to 2.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Color.—Immature: Upper surface: RHS 137B to RHS 137C. Lower            surface: Closest to RHS 138B. Mature: Upper surface: RHS            138A. Lower surface: Closest to RHS 138B.        -   Texture.—Short glandular hairs.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—RHS 144A.        -   Petioles.—Length: 1.0 cm. Width: 0.3 cm. Color: RHS 144A.            Texture: Glandular hairs of various sizes.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Size.—Length: 2.6 cm to 3.5 cm. Diameter: 0.5 cm to 0.6 cm.        -   Color (when cold; just starting to show).—Lighter than RHS            N57D.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous throughout the growing season;            good floriferousness.        -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers appear solitary in upper leaf            axis.        -   Floret type.—Funnel-shaped; 5 lobed petals; fused at the            base; calyx, 5 deeply lobed sepals.        -   Number of flowers per node.—1.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—4 to 8 days.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly sweet.        -   Pedicels.—Color: RHS 144A. Length: 3.8 cm to 4.2 cm.            Diameter: 0.2 cm. Texture: Glandular hairs of various sizes.-   Flowers:    -   -   Shape.—Funnel-shaped, formed by 5 fused petals.        -   Immature.—Diameter: 4.5 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS N74B            with mid-veins a soft hue of RHS 164C and veins of RHS 144B.            Lower surface: RHS 75C.        -   Mature flower.—Diameter: 5.5 cm to 6.0 cm. Depth: 5.0 cm to            5.5 cm. Color: Upper surface: Between RHS N74B and RHS N74C            with mid-veins a soft hue of RHS 146C and veins of RHS 144B.            Lower surface: RHS 75C.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: 2.5 cm. Color inside (throat): Closest            to RHS 155C with veins of RHS 144B. Color outside: Closest            to and between RHS 149D and RHS 150D. Texture: Glandular            hairs of various sizes.        -   Petals.—Apex: Mucronate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Waviness: Moderately wavy. Lobation: Slight to moderate.            Texture: Papilose.        -   Calyx.—5 deeply lobed sepals, fused at the base.        -   Sepals—Number: 5. Color: RHS 137B. Length: 1.7 cm to 1.8 cm.            Width: 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Shape: Oblong to oblanceolate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glandular            hairs of various sizes.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: 5, 2 tall, 3 short. Filament color: RHS            155C. Filament length: 1.7 cm to 2.3 cm. Filament diameter:            0.1 cm. Pollen color: RHS 11B. Pollen amount: Moderate.        -   Pistil.—Number: 1. Length: 1.6 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Stigma            color: RHS 144A. Style color: RHS 133C.-   Fruit and seed set: No seed set observed so far.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Whip Briink’ differs from the female parent ‘1092-1’ (unpatented) byhaving a brighter pink flower color and smaller leaves than ‘1092-1’.Additionally, ‘Whip Briink’ has a more compact plant habit and bettervigor than ‘1092-1’.

‘Whip Briink’ differs from the male parent ‘Conbloss’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 13,556) by having a bright pink flower color, while ‘Conbloss’ has awhite flower color. Additionally, ‘Whip Briink’ has lighter greenfoliage, a longer petiole, larger flower diameter and a brighter yellowpollen color than ‘Conbloss’.

‘Whip Briink’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Jam Hopink’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 14,325) by having lighter green and smaller foliage than‘Jam Hopink’. Additionally, ‘Whip Briink’ has a more compact plant habitwith more branching, a smaller flower size and a lighter colored pinkflower than ‘Jam Hopink’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of petunia plant as shown and describedherein.